


Where You Are, There's Home

by forsimplicityssake



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergent, M/M, it's not totally canon but it's kinda there, it's our three boys as the family we all deserve, it's so soft guys, only rated for a few language choices but that's it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-01-30 07:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21424729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forsimplicityssake/pseuds/forsimplicityssake
Summary: The international terminal at LAX is one of Buck's favorite places for a handful of reasons. The touching family reunions, the ability to dream about flying anywhere in the world... but most importantly, it's where he and Christopher go to get Eddie back.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 18
Kudos: 319





	Where You Are, There's Home

**Author's Note:**

> Idk why, but the summary sounds sad. It's not, promise! 
> 
> This was inspired while I was waiting to pick up my parents the airport last week. I'm just a sucker for reunions + military families reuniting. Please enjoy!
> 
> Thank you, thank you as always to the wonderful [destimushi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/destimushi/pseuds/destimushi) for betaing for me 🧡

The sound of a dozen different languages buzzed in Buck’s ears as his eyes continued to scan the expansive set of doors ahead of them. Every time they opened and a new flood of people poured through, Buck stood a bit straighter—straining on the balls of his feet—to try and catch a glimpse of the faces. Nothing.

He felt a tug at his arm and looked down to see Christopher smiling up at him, exhaustion clearly setting in. They had been standing there for over forty minutes and yet, still no sign.

“Hey, buddy,” Buck crooned as he crouched down to be at eye level with Christopher. “How are you holding up?”

Christopher beamed and replied in his usually sunny way, “M’good.” This was chased by a stifled yawn, and Buck’s heart warmed at the sight. It was getting late, soon to be past Christopher’s bedtime, and Buck was trying his best to gauge whether or not to find a place to let Christopher nap.

Noting that the benches were full, Buck smiled down at Christopher before running a loving hand through his tousled hair. “You want me to hold you for awhile?”

Christopher gave a delighted squeal before opening his arms. “Yes please!” 

Buck laughed and tilted his head to catch Carla’s gaze. She only gave him a knowing look and replied, “Well, you heard the boy!”

Buck scooped Christopher up and to his hip, his arms settling around the smaller frame as Christopher embraced him tightly. Carla stepped over and slid Christopher’s crutches off his arms so he could have a better grip on Buck. She smiled gently, taking in how easy the two fit together as if Buck had always been there to hold Christopher.

“Thank you,” Christopher murmured as he snuggled his face into the crook of Buck’s neck.

“You’re very welcome.”

The three of them continued to stand there as they idly observed families from around the world reunite. The international terminal at LAX was always one of Buck’s favorite places, even if it meant having to drive through horrendous traffic to get there. Buck loved seeing the different families, the hugs and laughter and kisses, the way all family feuds seemed to magically dissipate when everyone came together. Buck had yet to ever see anything terrible happen at the international terminal, and he knew tonight would be no exception.

If the last member of their family would just make it through customs already, Buck thought ruefully.

“Buck?” came Christopher’s muffled voice. 

Buck hummed in response, his eyes still searching through the crowd for a familiar head of cropped brown hair.

“Do you know when Daddy will get here?” 

“Not yet, sweetie,” Buck replied, then had an idea. “But let’s go check the boards, huh?”

Christopher _loved _looking at the arrivals and departures boards, entranced by all the different places people were coming from and going to. Whenever they had to go to the airport, Christopher would look up at Buck, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Buck knew without a doubt that their first stop would be the boards. He and Christopher had to find them every time they came and Buck, who could never refuse Christopher anything, would always smile in the sweetest way before nodding and taking Christopher’s hand. They liked to look up at them make up plans about what they would do if they ever went to some of these exotic places.

Christopher’s face pulled back from Buck and he was grinning madly again. “Yeah!”

Buck shot a look to Carla, and she smiled and said she’d continue to hold vigil over the doors. She knew how important it was to Buck and Christopher to be the first faces Eddie saw when he came home.

Buck gave a nod of thanks, then he and Christopher were off around the corner where a sea of electronic reader boards showed the current flight schedules.

“Wow,” Christopher gasped as the screens lit up the entire hallway.

“Shall we go find Daddy’s flight?” Buck asked. Christopher wrapped his arms tightly around Buck’s neck in agreement.

They stood in front of the boards and watched as flights flipped from landed, boarding, cancelled, delayed… They watched cities come and go across the screens, and Buck gave Christopher a knowing smile before they turned back to the screens, each wildly scanning the announcements until they found Eddie’s flight.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, and then, “Found it!” Christopher crowed, an arm snapping up to point at a line nearly seven feet in the air.

Buck squinted and chuckled. “Wow, buddy, that’s a new record!” 

Together, they read the status: Frankfurt–Hahn Airport (HHN) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Flight LH 989, landed.

“He’s here!” Christopher declared, his voice loud in Buck’s ear. Buck almost flinched at the volume, but the sheer joy emanating from Christopher soothed the sharp, sudden pain. A few other people who gathered around the boards laughed goodnaturedly at Christopher’s enthusiasm, and Buck smiled with them.

“Let’s go back and see if we can spot Daddy, okay?” Buck suggested and Christopher was all for the idea.

Buck walked back towards the arrivals gate as he shifted Christopher on his hips. Dang, this boy was getting so big, Buck thought.

Spotting Carla, they resituated themselves in their previous spots. Buck looked to Carla expectantly, but she just shook her head. They continued to wait.

Another fifteen minutes passed and Christopher was sound asleep, his head lolling into Buck’s shoulder and his limbs slack. Buck wanted to call Eddie desperately and ask him, _Did you get lost in there? _but he knew it was very unlikely that Eddie would have his phone with him, let alone on, as he worked his way through customs and border enforcement. 

Flight crews from different airlines walked about, and Buck strained to catch a snippet of German to perhaps signal that the flight from Frankfurt had started emptying into the arrivals gate. Still nothing.

Carla nudged Buck and asked, “Do you want me to take him?” Buck shook his head. Christopher was heavy, but his weight was also comforting, like having a piece of Eddie close to him.

Though Christopher was not Buck’s biological son, Buck felt every ounce of the boy was his. From his sparkling blue eyes and infectious personality, Christopher might as well have been half Buckley. However, Buck knew that Shannon would always be Christopher’s mother, his other biological parent, and Buck thanked her every day for this beautiful boy. He hoped she would approve of Buck standing in her place for the time being.

A flash of army green caught Buck’s eyes and his breath hitched. His feet moved of their own accord and he was seconds from making a dash across the floor when he realized the face and body did not match Eddie’s. It was another man, older and blond, and he was dropping to his knees to collect a set of giggling girls. Their mother, Buck assumed, was right behind, tears springing to her eyes. People around them clapped and smiled. The family walked away, the man’s arm wrapped around his wife’s waist, as the two girls clutched at his fatigues. Buck ached for that. His body so desperately longed for Eddie’s arms to wrap around him and Christopher. Soon, he reminded himself.

Then he saw them—a flight crew dressed in navy and gold uniforms, lanyards around their necks indicating they were with Lufthansa. That was the airline Eddie had come in on! Buck wanted to rouse Christopher, but hesitated in case there was a similar flight landing that he didn’t know about. Instead, Buck shifted his weight from foot to foot—his body thrumming with excitement—and stayed put. Ten more minutes and still no Eddie.

More families came and went and soon Buck could feel fatigue settling deep into his bones. They still had an hour’s drive to get home and Buck wondered if he’d be able to do it. He looked down to Christopher and took comfort in the soft breaths tickling Buck’s throat and the gentle expression on Christopher’s face. Buck hiked the boy up on his hip, a new feeling of resolution warming his veins. He turned to look back at the doors and then—

Oh, and then...

The doors opened up and a sea of people came flooding in and there, in the back, Buck saw him! Damn, Eddie looked utterly wiped. He looked so good in uniform though, Buck’s brain replied, and it definitely wasn’t wrong. Buck’s mouth went dry as he took in Eddie’s broad shoulders and tapered waist as they fit snugly in heavy khaki. Only Eddie could fill out army fatigues and make it look like he was going to a GQ shoot.

Eddie had gone to the USAG Baumholder Army Base to work on spearheading a new tactical medics program. Though technically in the reserves, Eddie had apparently been very good at his previous job and was often called to different bases to assist in the creation and maintenance of new programs. It wasn’t as hard as being called away for service—Buck had _ no _ idea how any family could handle that—but it was still heartbreaking every time Eddie had to leave them. 

Over the last few times at the airport, Buck had gained so much more respect for Shannon and everything she went through while Eddie was serving his tours. He understood why Shannon would’ve been crushed when she heard Eddie reenlisted. Shit, Buck would’ve been livid if Eddie did that to him. This was all beside the point, however, because Eddie—their Eddie, _his _ Eddie—was home.

Buck gently ran a hand over Christopher’s cheek and leaned in close. “Hey baby, guess who’s here?” 

Small eyelids fluttered open, then Christoper gasped. “Daddy?” His voice is soft and heavy with sleep.

“Mmhmm,” Buck replied, “Daddy.”

Buck walked toward the gate, long strides eating up the space between the back wall and the doors. Eddie was looking down, no doubt concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, but then, as if their bodies could not be in each other’s presence without acknowledging one another, Eddie’s head snapped up and his eyes widened. Buck felt like he would burst into tears. He softly mouthed the word ‘hi’ and walked faster. Christopher almost bolted in Buck’s arms, his hands shooting out as he yelled, “Daddy!”

Eddie was practically running as he wove through the crowd of travelers. His eyes—his beautiful, expressive, hazel eyes—were misting over and a warm flush colored his cheeks. He all but vaulted the half wall separating the incoming people from the expectant families, and then he was there, falling to his knees just as Buck did, his bag forgotten next to him. Two strong, warm arms wrapped around them, and their family was complete again.

Oh god, had Eddie always felt this good?

Buck was exhausted, and overwhelming emotions wiped out the remainder of his strength. Carefully, he lowered Christopher to the floor. 

“Mis amores,” Eddie murmured as he enveloped his boys in a bone-crushing embrace. Christopher was giggling with abandon and Buck was surely crying now.

Buck buried his face in the curve of Eddie’s neck and inhaled deeply. Fuck, he’d missed Eddie’s smell so much. Buck’s free hand grasped at Eddie’s fatigues in desperation as he left fleeting, soft kisses along Eddie’s throat. He listened with rapture as Eddie whispered the most beautiful things to them.

Then Eddie leaned away from Buck and grasped Christopher’s face in his hands as he peppered little kisses across his son’s face. Christopher laughed freely, his eyes tightly closed as he threw his head back and Eddie’s lips followed the movement.

“Mijo,” he whispered, “I missed you so much.” 

“Me too, daddy,” Christopher giggled in between Eddie’s rushed kisses. 

Buck smiled fondly as tears rolled down his face.

Not missing a beat, Eddie turned to look at Buck and the other man was almost bowled over by the sheer, desperate love that was reflected in his eyes. “Yo también te extrañe, cariño. _God,_ I missed you.” Eddie’s lips were on Buck’s in an instant, fiercely working to map out familiar territory.

It didn’t bother either of them that they were surrounded by strangers in an airport, on their knees, their son trapped between them. It had been three months since Eddie left, and both he and Buck had been counting down the days until they were back together. Plus, like Buck always said, there was a good chance they’d never see these people again. 

Contrary to what they expected, however, waiting families started whistling and clapping, some taking out their phones as they shamelessly snapped photos.

Buck ran a hand up Eddie’s jaw and into his shorn hair, loving the baby soft texture, but missing the ability to grab a fistful as he tilted Eddie’s face to get a better angle. He pulled back moments later, breathing heavy, and leaned his forehead against Eddie’s.

“I missed you so much, baby,” Buck murmured, his breath mingling with Eddie’s. 

Eddie groaned, closing his eyes to engrain this moment forever in his mind. His fingers dug deliciously into Buck’s back, careful to keep a more gentle hold on Christopher.

Whether they were there for a minute or an hour, it didn’t matter. All they knew was that eventually, Carla was beside them as she took up Eddie’s kit bag and grunted dramatically. “Did you bring back half of Germany with you?” she joked, and that was enough to pull them apart. Eddie looked up at Carla and laughed deeply.

“I missed you most of all.”

Buck pouted, but kissed Eddie tenderly on the cheek all the same.

Eddie stood and held out a hand to Buck, who rose carefully with Christopher. The boy was squirming wildly to be put down and Buck obliged. Christopher threw himself at Eddie’s legs again and wrapped his arms tightly around his father.

“Daddy,” he beamed.

Eddie smiled and ran a hand along Christopher’s back. “C’mon, son. It’s time to go home.” As he said the word ‘home,’ Eddie looked up at Buck and placed his other hand on Buck’s cheek, thumbing away all traces of tears. His eyes darkened as he took in Buck’s flushed face.

“Yes,” Buck said softly, his hand coming up to cover Eddie’s, “welcome home.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! xx


End file.
